CWD appears in captive Pennsylvania deer

Pennsylvania wildlife officials have confirmed the appearance of chronic-wasting disease in three captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at two deer farms. One farm, in Blair County, where the disease hadn’t been seen before, was placed under quarantine. The second, in Lancaster County, where infected deer had previously been found, had its entire herd euthanized. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that 49 captive deer have tested positive in the state, in addition to 128 free-ranging deer. “The escalating number of CWD detections and the sudden emergence of this disease in new parts of the state should put all Pennsylvanians on guard to the threat CWD poses and the disease’s potential to have damaging impacts on Pennsylvania’s deer and deer-hunting tradition,” said state Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans.